GLENDALE, Ariz.—The Los Angeles Angels weren’t necessarily trying to snatch Southern California from the grasp of the Los Angeles Dodgers, but their busy offseason could have that effect.

Signing Albert Pujols and C.J. Wilson on one December day took the Angels from the back seat to at least co-pilot when it comes to popularity in Los Angeles and Orange counties.

The Angels have mostly downplayed the rivalry, but the Dodgers, the area’s most popular baseball team since arriving in 1958, believe they will always control fan loyalty in the region, even when they’re struggling in the standings.

“Honestly, it’s like the Mets and the Yankees. The Yankees are the team, no matter what the Mets did,” says Dodgers manager Don Mattingly, who played 14 seasons with the Yankees. “They are going to have their years that they play well, but the Yankees are the team.

“And I don’t want to bad-mouth the Angels at all. I know (Angels owner) Mr. (Arte) Moreno does a great job down there in Anaheim and (manager) Mike (Scioscia) does a great job and they’ve had a great run, but we’re the Dodgers and that’s not going to change.”

The Dodgers have almost always been the more successful team on and off the field, but over the past 10 years, that hasn’t been the case. The Dodgers are coming off two disappointing seasons and an ownership soap opera that caused fans to basically boycott Dodger Stadium last season. The news that Frank McCourt has agreed to sell the franchise to a group featuring Magic Johnson and Stan Kasten undoubtedly should resurrect and re-energize the Dodgers’ fan base.

If the Angels are ever were going to grab the headlines in Southern California, this past offseason was the time, even if they won’t openly say it.

“I’m not even touching that one,” Angels right fielder Torii Hunter says with a laugh. “We still have to do it on the field or it won’t matter.”

The Dodgers’ most outspoken outfielder, and one of the league’s best players, agrees with Mattingly that the Boys in Blue will always run the Los Angeles area.

“There is only one Los Angeles team, and that’s the L.A. Dodgers,” Matt Kemp says.

Angels ace Jered Weaver grew up in the L.A. area and had a brother, Jeff, who pitched for the Dodgers. Both grew up Dodgers fans, and Weaver was much more diplomatic on the subject than Kemp.

“There is room (for both teams),” Weaver says. “They’ve had some tough times lately … but I don’t think they’ll be down that long. They have great players there with Kemp and (Clayton) Kershaw. If you ask me, they really haven’t lost that much of their shine.”

At least some of the shine is back, thanks in part to Magic Johnson’s smile.